DataFlex

Use Relative Paths When Unpacking HTML Email

Demonstrates the Chilkat Email.UnpackUseRelPaths property, which applies to the UnpackHtml method. When true (the default), the unpacked HTML uses relative paths for links to the related files (images and style sheets) written to disk; when false, absolute paths are used. This example loads an HTML email and unpacks it using relative paths.

Background: "Unpacking" an HTML email means writing its HTML body to a file and its inline images/stylesheets to a subfolder, then rewriting the cid: references so the saved HTML displays correctly in a browser. Relative paths (like parts/logo.png) keep the folder self-contained and portable — you can move or deploy the whole directory and the links still work. Absolute paths point at one fixed location, which is fine for immediate local viewing but breaks if the files move.

Chilkat DataFlex Downloads

Download Chilkat for DataFlex

DataFlex

Use ChilkatAx-win32.pkg

Procedure Test
    Boolean iSuccess
    Handle hoEmail
    String sTemp1

    Move False To iSuccess

    //  Demonstrates the Email.UnpackUseRelPaths property, which applies to the UnpackHtml
    //  method.  When true (the default), the unpacked HTML uses relative paths for its links
    //  to the related files (images, style sheets).  When false, absolute paths are used.

    Get Create (RefClass(cComChilkatEmail)) To hoEmail
    If (Not(IsComObjectCreated(hoEmail))) Begin
        Send CreateComObject of hoEmail
    End

    //  Load an HTML email that contains related images.
    Get ComLoadEml Of hoEmail "qa_data/eml/html_with_images.eml" To iSuccess
    If (iSuccess = False) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoEmail To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    //  Use relative paths in the unpacked HTML.
    Set ComUnpackUseRelPaths Of hoEmail To True

    //  Unpack the HTML body and its related files to the filesystem.
    //  Arguments: unpackDir, htmlFilename, partsSubdir.
    Get ComUnpackHtml Of hoEmail "qa_output/unpacked" "message.html" "parts" To iSuccess
    If (iSuccess = False) Begin
        Get ComLastErrorText Of hoEmail To sTemp1
        Showln sTemp1
        Procedure_Return
    End

    Showln "Unpacked the HTML email using relative paths."

    //  Note: Paths such as "qa_data/..." and "qa_output/..." are relative local
    //  filesystem paths, relative to the current working directory of the running application.


End_Procedure